The Hanen Program® – The beauty of the ‘4 S’

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
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Image by freepik

One of my favourite pieces of advice I give to parents is the ‘4 S’, a strategy coined by the Hanen Program® which I teach, particularly the ‘More than Words’ programme which is designed for and aimed at parents of children with Social Communication Difficulties or Autism. It is honestly one of those golden nuggets that I use myself in my practice and I highly recommend it to all my parents. There is something about terms like the ‘4 S’ that is easy to recall and therefore use.

Introduction

The ‘4 S’ is a strategy that helps to clarify the words we use with our children so that they can notice us, hear us and understand what we are saying.

Research shows that we use on average 120-200 words per minute during everyday conversation. That’s a lot! And our children who are still learning to communicate are often bombarded with endless speech coming at them all day long. If we take into account that many of our students are Gestalt Language Processors, we can see that picking out relevant chunks of what we are saying is not at all easy, and this contributes to our children’s delays.

So let’s look at the ‘4 S’

1. The first one is SAY LESS

This means we should use shorter, simpler sentences with good grammar, for example, something like: ‘let’s get ready, time to put our shoes on’ instead of what we might be saying: ‘come on then darling, let’s put your shoes on we need to get going it’s dark outside’ or similar.

Good grammar helps to give clues about what words mean and how they are used in sentences. So, instead of ‘shoes on’ say ‘let’s put our shoes on’.

2. The second one is STRESS

I hear you think ‘I am stressed!‘. – NO! here it means ‘highlight’. We use our voice to highlight the important words in our sentence or phrase. For example, when you say ‘this banana is so yummy’ you can stress the word ‘yummy’ by saying it a bit louder and you can make a gesture, like rubbing your tummy as you say it.

3. The third one is GO SLOW

This means to speak a bit slower than you normally would and add pauses. By slowing down the pace of our speaking we give our child time to think and understand what we are saying. When we allow for pauses after we have spoken, we are inviting our child to say something in response.

4. The last one is SHOW

Always remember to show actions, gestures, objects, and point to pictures while speaking to help support your child’s understanding. We can show our child what words mean by pointing to things or holding up objects whilst describing or talking about them.

At this point I would also like to recommend the use of Core Boards, and particularly Electronic AAC devices, such as LAMP Words for Life or PODD. I have written about this in other blogs but can always be persuaded to say a bit more on the matter… 😊 It is such a big help to have an AAC talker available for both the child and the adult so we can find words and pictures to help support the words we are saying.

For example, today when reading a book like The Hungry Caterpillar (so good!) I used my LAMP AAC talker to make comments as we were looking at the pages together with my student. Example: ‘Look! He is eating more cake he is very hungry’ using my AAC talker I was able to supplement my speech and at the same time I was inviting my minimally speaking child to press a button or two and reply with ‘cake!’ which they would not have said with their mouth otherwise.

5. It does say ‘4 S’ but really it should be ‘5’ except the fifth is not an ‘S’

The fifth is REPEAT.

Repeat words and phrases often throughout the day. When learning a language we all need to hear words and phrases several times and in different situations before we can understand, remember, and then eventually use them. Our children are ‘new language learners’ and so we can apply the same principles that we would when learning a new foreign language ourselves.

Any questions or need help with supporting your little one’s language please contact me via my contact form, or you could also check out www.hanen.org for advice and lots of inspiration.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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    The path to resolution: surgery, therapy, and successful outcomes

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    Following surgery these children embark on the crucial phase of speech therapy. While surgery addresses the structural problem, speech therapy helps a child learn to utilise their newly improved anatomy. It involves intensive work on developing oral airflow, establishing correct articulatory placement, and reducing learned compensatory strategies that have developed due to the original structural deficit. It is immensely gratifying to witness the transformation. Children who once struggled to produce basic sounds, whose speech was difficult to understand, gradually develop clear speech.

    Next steps?

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    Health Professions Council registered
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    Member of ASLTIP

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    Learning to produce new speech sounds can be a complex process for young children, especially those facing challenges with speech sound disorders or motor planning difficulties. It’s not just about knowing what a sound ‘should’ sound like; it’s about figuring out where to put your tongue, how to shape your lips, and how much air to push out. This is where the power of visual gestures comes in – literally helping children see how to make sounds.

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    • the /W/ sound: my right hand moves forward and fingers splay out showing that the lips open up at the end of the sound
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    4.      Increasing engagement and success:

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    • Why it works: Success is a powerful motivator. When children experience success, they are more likely to stay engaged, participate actively, and feel more confident in their ability to learn new sounds.

    5.      Supporting self-correction:

    • How it helps: Once a child learns the gesture associated with a sound, he or she can use it as a self-monitoring tool. If he or she makes an error, he or she can use the gesture to remind himself or herself of the correct mouth position or movement.
    • Why it works: This promotes independent learning and reduces reliance on constant adult prompting.

    Conclusion

    The journey of speech development can be challenging, but visual gestures offer a powerful and effective tool for teaching new sounds, especially when motor planning is a factor. By providing a clear visual map, strengthening motor memory, reducing cognitive load, and fostering engagement, these gestures pave the way for clearer communication and greater confidence. If your child is struggling with speech sounds, consider talking to a Speech and Language Therapist to get guidance on how visual gestures might be incorporated into the therapy plan. Because sometimes, seeing truly is believing (and speaking!).

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    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
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    Member of ASLTIP

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    Sonja showing power words on a board

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    What is childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)?

    Children with CAS often have lots to communicate about (and strong ideas!) but their speech may come out as:

    • Unclear
    • inconsistent
    • hard to ‘copy’ on demand
    • frustrating for them and for you

    CAS is not caused by laziness and it is not a parenting issue. It is also not something children simply ‘grow out of’ without support. But with the right therapy approach, children can absolutely build clearer speech over time.

    If you’d like to read more about verbal dyspraxia, you may also find this helpful: Supporting children and families living with verbal dyspraxia.

    Why is CAS such a big topic right now?

    Many families come to me after months (or years) of being told:

    • ‘She’ll talk when she is ready’
    • ‘He’s just shy’
    • ‘It’s probably a speech delay’
    • ‘It’s normal for toddlers’

    And sometimes it is a general delay. But sometimes it’s something more specific, like CAS.

    There’s also been a huge rise in parents seeking information online, and CAS is often mentioned alongside speech sound difficulties such as:

    • phonological delay (pattern-based speech errors)
    • articulation difficulties (one sound that won’t come out clearly)
    • inconsistent speech disorder

    These can look similar at first glance, which is why a specialist assessment matters.

    Signs of childhood apraxia of speech in 2–5 year olds

    Children develop speech at different rates, and not every unclear speaker has CAS. But here are some common features that may raise a flag, especially when you notice several together.

    1) Inconsistent speech errors

    Your child might say the same word in different ways:

    • ‘banana’ → nana / baba / mana
    • ‘daddy’ → gaga / daddy / dadi

    This inconsistency is one of the biggest clues.

    2) Difficulty copying words on request

    Some children speak more easily in natural play, but when asked ‘Say ___’, they freeze or the word becomes much harder.

    3) Limited sound repertoire

    They may use only a small set of consonants (like /M/, /N/, /B/, /D/) and avoid others.

    4) Vowel distortions

    Many children with typical delays mainly struggle with consonants. But in CAS, vowels can also sound ‘off’ or change between attempts.

    5) Speech that sounds effortful

    You might notice your child:

    • pauses between sounds
    • tries multiple times
    • looks like they’re ‘searching’ for the right mouth movement

    6) Longer words are much harder

    ‘Car’ might be easier than ‘carry’, and ‘carry’ easier than ‘caterpillar’.

    7) Prosody differences (rhythm and stress)

    Some children with CAS sound a little unusual in their speech rhythm, stress, or intonation.

    8) Frustration or reduced confidence

    When a child is frequently misunderstood, they may:

    • talk less
    • use gestures more
    • become upset when asked to repeat themselves

    Important note: none of these signs alone prove CAS but they are a strong reason to seek a speech assessment rather than waiting.

    CAS vs phonological delay vs articulation difficulty (quick guide)

    These are some of the most common questions I hear.

    If it’s mainly an articulation difficulty…

    A child may consistently say one sound incorrectly (for example, ‘thun’ for ‘sun’- lisp- but everything else is developing well.

    If it’s mainly a phonological delay…

    You might notice clear patterns, like:

    • leaving off the ends of words (‘ca’ for ‘cat’)
    • swapping back sounds for front sounds (‘tar’ for ‘car’)

    Patterns are often consistent and respond well to phonology-based therapy.

    If it might be CAS…

    Speech often feels less predictable, harder to imitate, and more impacted by word length and complexity.

    If you’re unsure, that’s completely normal, and exactly why assessment matters.

    What happens in a CAS assessment?

    A high-quality speech assessment for possible CAS usually includes:

    1) Parent discussion and developmental history

    We talk about:

    • pregnancy and birth history (where relevant)
    • feeding history
    • early sounds and babbling
    • first words and how speech has progressed
    • family history of speech/language needs

    2) A speech sound assessment

    Your child might be shown pictures or play-based prompts so we can hear:

    • what sounds they can say
    • what they simplify
    • whether errors are consistent or inconsistent

    3) An oral-motor and movement check

    This isn’t about ‘strength’. It’s about coordination and planning. We look at how your child manages speech movements and transitions.

    4) Stimulability testing

    This means: how easily can your child learn a new sound or word with support?

    For CAS, we often explore how they respond to:

    • slowed-down speech
    • visual cues
    • rhythm/tapping
    • short, simple syllable shapes

    5) Functional communication and confidence

    We look at how speech impacts daily life:

    • being understood at nursery
    • joining in with peers
    • asking for help
    • managing emotions when misunderstood

    At the end, you should leave with:

    • a clear explanation of what we think is going on
    • a therapy plan
    • practical home strategies
    • realistic next steps

    What parents can do at home

    Here are CAS-friendly strategies you can start right away.

    1) Choose ‘power words’

    Pick 1–2 words that matter most in your child’s daily life, such as:

    • more
    • help
    • mummy
    • again
    • stop
    • open

    These words are motivating and functional.

    2) Keep it short and successful

    For many children with CAS, the goal is quality over quantity.

    Try five minutes a day rather than 30 minutes of struggle.

    3) Support speech with rhythm

    Some children benefit from:

    • tapping a beat on the table
    • clapping syllables
    • using a gentle ‘marching’ rhythm

    This can help the brain organise the sequence of movements.

    4) Celebrate approximations

    If your child says ‘moh’ for ‘more’, that’s communication!

    We want them to feel:

    • safe
    • understood
    • proud to try again

    Confidence is a key part of progress.

    A short parent story (anonymised)

    One mum said to me:

    ‘We kept being told to wait. But I could see my child understood everything; they just couldn’t get the words out. Once we had an assessment and a plan, it felt like we finally knew what to do. The biggest change was his confidence. He started trying more.’

    When should you seek support?

    You don’t need to wait until school.

    It’s worth getting an assessment if your child is:

    • hard to understand compared with peers
    • becoming frustrated or withdrawing from talking
    • inconsistent with words they used to say
    • struggling to imitate speech sounds
    • showing signs that match CAS

    Early support can reduce stress for the whole family and help your child feel successful in communication.

    Here’s how I can help:

    ✅ A detailed speech assessment (including whether CAS is likely)

    ✅ A clear therapy plan with realistic goals

    ✅ Practical home strategies you can use immediately

    ✅ Support for nurseries and schools (where needed)

    ✅ In-person sessions in North-West London and online options

    Book your consultation here.

    Final gentle reminder

    You are not overreacting. Trust your instincts.

    Your child is communicating the best way they can, and with the right support, speech can become easier, clearer, and more confident.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    3
  • · ·

    When speech difficulties overlap: Helping children with phonological delay and childhood apraxia of speech

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    One of the questions parents often ask is:

    ‘What kind of speech difficulty does my child have?’

    It’s a very understandable question. We often hear different terms such as phonological delay, articulation difficulties, or Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), and it can be confusing.

    The reality is that many children don’t fit neatly into one single category.

    In fact, quite often I see children whose speech profile includes a mixture of difficulties. They might have some phonological patterns (where they substitute one sound for another) alongside challenges with motor speech planning, where coordinating the movements needed for speech is harder.

    When this happens, therapy needs to be flexible, responsive, and tailored to the child sitting in front of us.

    Example

    Recently I filmed a short clip from one of my therapy sessions which shows exactly how this works in practice.

    The child I was working with has difficulties with several speech sounds. Part of the challenge relates to a phonological pattern called fronting.

    Fronting is when sounds that should be made further back in the mouth (like /K/ or /G/) are produced further forward instead.

    At the same time, this child also shows signs of motor speech planning difficulty, which means the brain has to work harder to organise and sequence the movements of the tongue, lips and jaw for speech.

    This type of profile can sometimes overlap with characteristics seen in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

    When difficulties overlap like this, therapy cannot rely on a single approach. Instead, it needs to draw on multiple evidence-based strategies.

    That is exactly what you see happening in the clip. We started out generalising the /K/ sound which until recently had been replaced by a /T/ sound. Whilst looking at a sound loaded picture of /K/ sounds we somehow got talking about a ‘dent’ (I don’t recall how we got there!) but the ‘dent’ was a ‘det’ and I decided to tackle this there and then because there are other great words that end in ‘nt’ like : ‘count’ ‘giant’ ‘point’ or ‘paint’.

    Using visual cues to support motor planning

    Speech is incredibly complex. For children with motor speech difficulties, the challenge is not only knowing what sound they want to say, but also how to move their mouth to produce it.

    This is where visual cues can be incredibly helpful.

    In the clip, you can see me using a whiteboard with pictures and simple visual prompts. These help to:

    • Focus attention on the target sound
    • Understand where the sound occurs in the word
    • Remember the sequence of sounds needed

    Visual supports can act almost like a map for the mouth, guiding children as they practise new speech movements.

    For children with motor planning difficulties, this type of cueing can make a huge difference.

    Why repetition of a single word (massed practice) is so important

    Another key feature you will notice in the clip is lots of repetition.

    This is very deliberate.

    When we are supporting children with motor speech challenges, the brain needs repeated opportunities to practise the correct movement patterns. Just like learning a musical instrument or a new sport, repetition helps the brain build stronger and more efficient pathways.

    In therapy we call this massed practice.

    Rather than saying a word only once or twice, we practise it many times in a structured way, helping the child stabilise the new speech pattern.

    But repetition alone is not enough. The child also needs to understand why the sound matters.

    Showing children that sounds change meaning

    This is where another powerful therapy approach comes in: minimal pairs.

    Minimal pairs are word pairs that differ by only one sound. For example:

    • debt
    • dent

    In the clip, I use these two words to help the child realise that the /N/ sound makes a meaningful difference.

    Without the /N/, the word becomes something else entirely.

    This approach helps children recognise that speech sounds are not random: they carry meaning. If a sound is missing or substituted, the message may change.

    Helping children notice these differences can be a very motivating moment in therapy. Suddenly the sound is no longer just an abstract exercise; it becomes part of real communication.

    Blending approaches for the best outcomes

    In this short therapy moment, I am combining:

    • Visual cueing

    • Motor speech practice

    • High repetition (massed practice)

    • Minimal pair contrasts

    • Listening and awareness of sound differences

    Each element supports a different part of the speech system.

    Some strategies help with motor planning, others support phonological awareness, and others build accuracy and consistency.

    Together they create a therapy session that is both structured and responsive.

    Every child’s speech journey is unique

    One of the most important things I want to convey is that speech development is not always straightforward.

    Two children may both struggle with speech sounds, yet the underlying reasons may be very different.

    This is why careful assessment is essential, and why therapy needs to stay flexible as we learn more about how a child’s speech system works.

    Sometimes a child needs more motor-based work.

    Sometimes the focus shifts towards phonological contrasts.

    Often, as in this example, the most effective therapy uses both.

    Small steps lead to big progress

    Every session helps us understand a little more about how a child’s speech system works and what support will help them move forward.

    And when the pieces start to come together, when a child realises that one tiny sound can change a whole word, that is when the real progress begins.

    If you are concerned about your child’s speech sounds, clarity of speech, or possible motor speech difficulties, early support can make a significant difference. A detailed assessment can help identify the nature of the difficulty and guide a therapy approach tailored to your child’s individual needs.

    Feel free to contact me on www.londonspeechandfeeding.co.uk

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    Reference

    McNeill, B. C., Gillon, G. T., & Dodd, B. (2009). Effectiveness of an integrated phonological awareness approach for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 25(3), 341-366.

    3

  • Why I love ‘Colourful Semantics’ in speech therapy

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    One of the most common concerns parents bring to speech and language therapy is:
    ‘My child understands so much… but they struggle to put sentences together’.

    Some children use only single words.
    Others miss out key parts of sentences.
    Some mix up word order.
    Others find it difficult to answer questions or explain their ideas clearly.

    This is where one of my favourite therapy approaches can be incredibly powerful: Colourful Semantics.

    Colourful Semantics is a highly effective and evidence-informed way of supporting children to build stronger sentence structure, grammar, understanding, and expressive language skills.

    It is a visual approach to language development originally created by a UK Speech and Language Therapist, Alyson Bryan in 1997 to help children understand how sentences are organised.

    Different parts of a sentence are represented by different colours.

    For example:

    • Who? is orange.
    • What doing? is yellow.
    • What? is green.
    • Where? is blue.

    As children progress more colours are added:

    • To Whom? Is pink.
    • Adjectives (what like) is purple.
    • Time Phrase is brown.

    Using colours gives children a visual framework for building sentences in a way that feels structured, predictable, and achievable.

    Instead of language feeling abstract and overwhelming, children can see how sentences fit together.

    For many children, this is massively helpful as it gives structure and predictability.

    Why some children struggle with sentences

    Language development is incredibly complex.

    To build a sentence, we need to:

    • think of vocabulary
    • organise grammar
    • sequence words
    • understand meaning
    • remember sentence structure
    • physically say the words clearly enough to communicate

    That is a huge amount happening all at once.

    Some children may:

    • leave out verbs
    • miss pronouns
    • use immature grammar
    • struggle with word order
    • rely on very short phrases
    • find it difficult to expand beyond single words.

    For example:

    • ‘Boy jump’
    • ‘Him eating’
    • ‘Dog there’
    • ‘Want juice’.

    These children often know more than they can express.

    Colourful Semantics helps bridge that gap.

    Why visual supports matter

    Many children—especially those with language delays, developmental language disorder (DLD), autism, or social communication difficulties—benefit enormously from visual support.

    Visual systems reduce the processing load.

    Instead of relying only on spoken language, children are given an additional way to organise information.

    The colours act almost like ‘anchors’ for language.

    A child may begin to understand:

    • orange = who
    • yellow = action
    • green = object
    • blue = place.

    This makes sentence building more concrete and less overwhelming.

    It also supports children who struggle with:

    • attention
    • auditory memory
    • processing spoken language
    • sequencing
    • confidence using language independently.

    Supporting sentence expansion naturally

    One of the things I love most about Colourful Semantics is how flexible it is.

    It can be used:

    • in play
    • with books
    • during conversation
    • with picture scenes
    • in storytelling
    • during movement activities
    • within everyday routines.

    Therapy does not need to feel rigid or worksheet-heavy.

    Many children who usually avoid talking become much more willing to attempt longer sentences when they feel successful.

    Children often begin to use:

    • verbs more accurately
    • pronouns more consistently
    • better word order
    • improved sentence organisation
    • and more complete ideas.

    For example, instead of:

    • ‘Him running’

    A child may gradually move toward:

    • ‘He is running.’

    The colours help children understand the ‘jobs’ words have within a sentence.

    This is particularly useful for children who need explicit teaching of language structure rather than simply learning through exposure alone.

    Supporting children with speech difficulties too

    One thing I particularly value in therapy is approaches that support multiple communication areas at once.

    Colourful Semantics is excellent for this.

    While building sentences, we can also naturally target:

    • speech sounds
    • intelligibility
    • vocabulary
    • social communication
    • turn-taking
    • attention and listening
    • confidence speaking.

    For example, if a child is working on the /K/ sound, we might intentionally build sentences containing target words:

    • ‘The cat is coming.’
    • ‘The boy is kicking.’
    • ‘The duck is in the box.’

    This allows speech and language goals to work together rather than separately.

    Therapy becomes more functional, meaningful, and engaging.

    Building confidence through success

    One of the biggest barriers many children experience is not simply language difficulty. It is the emotional impact of struggling to communicate.

    Some children become frustrated.
    Others withdraw.
    Some stop attempting longer sentences altogether because communication feels too hard.

    Colourful Semantics can help rebuild confidence because it gives children a clear structure for success. That feeling matters enormously.

    When children feel successful, they participate more.
    They attempt more.
    They communicate more.

    And communication grows through communication.

    Why I use colourful semantics

    There is no single ‘magic’ therapy approach for every child.

    But Colourful Semantics remains one of the most versatile and effective tools I use because it can be adapted so beautifully to individual children.

    It supports:

    • early language
    • grammar
    • sentence structure
    • comprehension
    • expressive language
    • storytelling
    • confidence
    • functional communication.

    Most importantly, it helps children organise language in a way that finally starts to make sense to them.

    And when language starts to make sense, communication can truly begin to flourish.

    Contact me via my contact form if you would like me to work with your child.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Reference

    Bryan A (1997) Colourful semantics. In: Chiat S, Law J, and Marshall J (eds) Language disorders in children and adults: psycholinguistic approaches to therapy. London: Whurr, 143–61.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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  • ·

    Cued Articulation – using hand gestures to show how a sound is made

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Watch how cued articulation can transform your child’s speech and language skills!

    Cued Articulation involves using specific handshapes and placement cues to guide the speaker’s articulators, such as the tongue, lips, and teeth, to produce accurate sounds. It was originally conceptualised by Jane Passy, a speech-language pathologist. But it is important to know that we can, and often do, also use other speech cues which help our student visualise what they need to do. In other words, we can mix and match our cue pictures depending on what works best with each student.

    In the beginning of my speech therapy practice I would stick religiously to Jane Passy’s method but over the years I have learned and used many different visual hand cues which all have worked with individual students.

    It is important to remember that this is not an exact science, rather than an art! The art is to find the key to each individual student’s understanding and inspire motivation to try out a sound which they find hard to do.

    As an example, the hand signs used by Caroline Bowen’s method, an Australian Speech-Language Pathologist, are quite different to Jane Passy’s signs but they can equally work very well. Caroline Bowen’s visual for the /r/ sound is the ‘rowdy rooster’ — a crazed rooster on a motorbike — and the hand signal is that of revving up the motor bike engine with both hands whilst trying out the /r/ sound! I have a good handful of students who really loved this rooster image and were able to eventually produce a good /r/ using this cue.

    So, it is horses for courses with many things, and visual images and hand cues are no exception!

    Sound picture cards:

    Again, there are a host to choose from and I tend to collect a number of different images for each sound I want to practise with my student. As an example, below are a couple of different examples I use for the sound /p/:

    The Nuffield Programme suggests to use this popper card, which works well with a student who knows these poppers and perhaps has one on their trousers.

    As an alternative, and especially for younger students, I like using the Popper Pig Card – which I also have in my room so I can quickly show how it pops. Or we can have a popping game in between saying the /p/ sound at times. (The popper card is great as I can use the real toy to help with conveying the /p/ sound as it pops.)

    Each card has its own merit and I choose the right card for the individual student.

    How I use cued articulation and the visuals in Speech Therapy

    1. Cueing and practice: I introduce the appropriate card and handshapes for the targeted sounds. We then practise producing the sounds.
    2. Reinforcement and feedback: Positive reinforcement encourages progress and builds confidence.
    3. Fading out the cues: Once my student is able to say the sound more easily, we can gradually fade out the speech cues.

    Benefits and effectiveness

    Using Cued Articulation and Speech Image Cards has been shown to be effective in improving speech production for individuals with various speech and language disorders, including:

    • Articulation disorders: Difficulty producing specific sounds accurately.
    • Apraxia of speech: A motor planning disorder that affects the ability to sequence and coordinate movements involved in speech.
    • Phonology disorders or delays: Confusion and delays in how sounds are organised in categories to convey meaning, errors in sound patterns, for example front sounds are produced at the back, or long sounds are produced as stops.
    • Stuttering: A fluency disorder characterised by interruptions in speech, such as repetitions and prolongations.

    Tips for parents and student speech therapists

    Parents can play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of cued articulation at home and in therapy sessions. Here are some tips:

    • Collaborate with your SLT: Good feedback and communication with the Speech and Language Therapist creates consistency and progress..
    • Practise Regularly: Encourage consistent practice of cued articulation at home to reinforce learning.
    • Use Visual Aids: Use the same visuals that your therapist uses in the speech clinic to help your child at home with recall and practice.

    Feel free to contact me if you need help with your child.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

    Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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